Tropical wave floods Gonaïves, killing 1 and damaging 1,500 homes

GONAÏVES — A tropical wave brought heavy rain to Gonaïves overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, triggering flooding and landslides that killed one person, injured two and damaged about 1,500 homes, according to a preliminary assessment by Haiti’s Civil Protection agency.

“One woman who lived in the Praville neighborhood died after she was swept away by floodwaters,”  Faustin Joseph, departmental technical coordinator of the Artibonite Departmental Emergency Operations Center for Civil Protection, told The Haitian Times Thursday. 

“This is an early and preliminary assessment,” Joseph added, confirming two people were severely injured by flooding debris. “We are still surveying the city to assess the full extent of the devastation.”

The city’s hardest-hit areas include Bienac, Gatreau, Ka-Soleil, Praville and Bois-d’Homme. Floodwaters and mud entered homes, while public infrastructure, including the Gonaïves Civil Prison, was also affected.

The storm once again exposed Gonaïves’ vulnerability as the main city of the Artibonite Department and Haiti’s second-largest urban center after Port-au-Prince, where inadequate drainage, damaged infrastructure and construction in high-risk areas can turn heavy seasonal rains into deadly flooding. Across Haiti, weak infrastructure and limited disaster-preparedness capacity leave communities particularly vulnerable to storms, flooding and landslides. The World Bank has identified drainage systems, roads, bridges and other infrastructure as critical priorities for strengthening the country’s resilience to extreme weather.

Landslides threaten residents in Bienac— a place deemed unsafe

In Bienac, on the northern edge of the city, heavy rains triggered a landslide on the mountain, sending rocks, sediment and other debris down toward neighborhoods below and worsening the flooding.

Residents said the threat remains, particularly because of poor drainage and construction in areas exposed to landslides and falling rocks.

“The danger is still imminent. The authorities have not yet come to the aid of Bienac residents,” said Pierre Jean-Baptiste, coordinator of an organization focused on fighting poverty.

Resident Findy Joseph said drainage problems in the mountainous area contribute to recurring landslides.

“This problem occurs every time it rains. The rocks are exposed and represent an imminent danger to the lives of Bienac residents,” he said.

Joseph also criticized uncontrolled construction in the area, saying it has increased risks for residents.

“I am a resident of Bienac, and this is not the first time we have seen landslides,” he said. “There is no apparent will to protect the population.”

He urged authorities to act quickly and declare the most vulnerable area a public utility zone to prevent further loss of life and property damage.

During an August visit to the area, the minister of public works, transport and communications, Joseph Almathe Pierre Louis, said some parts of Bienac were no longer safe for residents.

Exposed rocks and unstable terrain pose an ongoing threat to people’s lives, Pierre-Louis said—adding that the central government needs to work with local authorities to find an urgent solution.

Residents are now calling for the rehabilitation of ravines, dredging of canals and drains, reconstruction of damaged infrastructure and assistance for affected families.

They are also urging authorities to complete preventive work before the next major rainfall, warning that without improvements to drainage and other infrastructure, the same neighborhoods could face more flooding, landslides, deaths and property losses.

Residents call for urgency with other neighborhoods also struggling with recurring floods

Ka-Soleil, Bois–d’Homme and Praville were also heavily affected.

Residents of these neighborhoods blamed the condition of the Bienac perimeter drain and said a bridge on Rue Égalité obstructs water flow through a channel. 

Jean-Baptiste said he has spent years urging authorities to rehabilitate ravines and protect communities exposed to landslides.

“The authorities must act as quickly as possible in response to this warning about landslides and proceed with the repair of the ravine that runs through Bienac, in order to avoid the worst,” he said.

The demand reflects a broader problem facing Haiti as the Atlantic seasonal rains intensify. The country’s limited and deteriorating drainage and transportation infrastructure can leave communities isolated or overwhelmed during major rain events. 

Onel Etienne, another Ka-Soleil resident, said residents have organized several drain-cleaning efforts but those limited efforts have not been able to prevent recurring flooding.

“Residents have organized several rounds of drain cleaning, but nothing is being adequately done to stop this high-intensity flooding from continuing to happen,” he lamented. “Conditions remain unchanged for us in Ka-Soleil.”

Etienne said rebuilding the Rue Égalité bridge should be a priority.

“The only way to alleviate the suffering of the population affected by this situation is for the authorities to take responsibility and rebuild this collapsed bridge,” he added.

Municipal authorities promise action

Adens Pierre, director of the Gonaïves mayor’s office, acknowledged the extent of the damage and said municipal authorities were considering measures to address the immediate risks.

He said officials were working on plans to dredge canals and drains that carry water into the hardest-hit neighborhoods.

“We are planning to address the main risk factors for the population,” Pierre said. “We are working closely with other authorities to facilitate the resumption of activities for the members of the population affected by this disaster.”

Civil Protection officials also said unregulated construction and settlement in high-risk areas have increased residents’ vulnerability.

Joseph said the agency has previously conducted awareness campaigns in Bienac urging residents not to remain in areas directly exposed to landslides.

Joseph said authorities also need to coordinate with local and international organizations to assist families affected by the disaster.

“We are preparing better coordination to support the population of the affected area, with respect and human dignity,” he said.

“The scale of the damage, however, has renewed calls for longer-term measures rather than emergency responses after each major rainfall,” he added.